Wikipedia is read many billions of times each month by people all over the world, yet it has a well-documented imbalance in its contributor base. Only around one in ten contributors is female, and this bias is reflected in the quality of articles relating to women.

The Bodleian Libraries and IT Services are helping to address this problem by supporting a series of edit-a-thon events helping people create or improve Wikipedia articles relating to women.

The event in March is not just about women in science and technology. Nor is it restricted to writing biographies of women. There are books or other works by women, or issues affecting women, that deserve quality articles on Wikipedia. If you have an idea for an article to create or improve, please do, but there will be suggestions if you are undecided.

We will not be alone in the effort to share open knowledge about women. New York’s Museum of Modern Art, the National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh, Tate Britain and the Archives Nationales in Paris are among dozens of institutions around the world hosting similar events in March.

This event is open to all, whether past Wikipedia editors or complete newcomers. Martin Poulter, the Bodleian Libraries’ Wikimedian In Residence, will provide training. Email martin.poulter@bodleian.ox.ac.uk to register your interest.

The event is made possible by funding from Wikimedia UK, the charity supporting Wikimedia projects.